Bucks-Spurs Preview

By ELI KABERONPosted Jan 19 2014 1:41AM

The San Antonio Spurs have yet to drop back-to-back games this season. Coming off a tough loss and with their best player banged up, it appears a good thing that the NBA's worst team is coming to town.

The Spurs will try to bounce back and avoid their first skid of the season when they host the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.

Though he is expected to suit up against the Bucks, point guard Tony Parker is not at full strength due to a bruised right shin. Parker, who leads the team in points (17.9) and assists (6.3) per game, missed two contests in December because of the injury.

He was questionable for Friday night's game against Portland, but played more than 35 minutes and scored 12 points in a 109-100 loss. He is still considered day-to-day.

"I think I'll play," Parker said about the upcoming contest. "I wish I was 100 percent, but it happens. I'll play. I'll play on Sunday. It will all get better with time."

The team may also be without reserve center Matt Bonner, who suffered a nasal fracture against the Trail Blazers. Bonner will require a protective mask if he plays.

The Spurs (28-9) have come back strong after their losses this season, following each of the previous eight with victories that came by an average of 11.7 points. The team's only loss this season to a sub-.500 team was against New York 105-101 on Jan. 2.

After missing a pair of games earlier this month with a sore hamstring, Manu Ginobili has been solid off the bench of late. In three games since returning, Ginobili is averaging 18.7 points and shooting 45.9 percent from the field. He has hit 54.5 percent from 3-point range and 94.1 at the free throw line.

Ginobili scored 29 points against the Blazers, his highest total in a regular season game since Feb. 27, 2011.

"I got in the game and I had two wide open shots. Both went in. Things started to happen," he said. "They found me on a 3-point shot. I started to feel more confident and the whole situation was exciting."

The Bucks (7-32) have dropped eight straight following a 114-104 loss at Houston on Saturday that kicked off their two-game Texas swing.

Brandon Knight was one of five players in double figures with 26 points, but Milwaukee had no answers defensively down low. The Rockets scored 66 points in the paint, the most the Bucks have allowed all season.

Milwaukee also surrendered 26 points off 19 turnovers. The Bucks allow an average of 17.8 points off their miscues, which ranks among the most in the league.

"You will not win a game on the road turning the ball over 20 times, you will not," coach Larry Drew said. "I know in the first quarter, we had five or six turnovers and I know at least three or four of them lead to easy baskets and you are not going to be successful turning the ball over on the road against a good ball club."

The Spurs have won seven of their last eight overall against the Bucks, who have dropped three straight in San Antonio dating to a 100-98 victory on Dec. 30, 2008.

Tim Duncan has averaged 22.0 points against the Bucks over the course of his 18-year career, his highest average against any opponent. When the team's met in Milwaukee on Dec. 11, the veteran big man scored 21 in a 109-77 victory.

Copyright 2014 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

Mills, Duncan lead Spurs past Bucks 110-82

By RAUL DOMINGUEZPosted Jan 20 2014 3:07AM

SAN ANTONIO (AP) The San Antonio Spurs needed a pick me up after a disappointing loss and a series of injuries, and they got it Sunday night by stepping all over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Patty Mills had 20 points, Tim Duncan had 11 points and 13 rebounds in limited action, and San Antonio rolled to a 110-82 victory over Milwaukee that kept the Bucks winless in the new year.

After hanging their heads following a 109-100 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night, the Spurs were feeling pretty good after trouncing the Bucks.

"(My confidence is) going through the roof, man" Ayres said. "You don't see me out there? I'm having fun, dunking on people and stuff. It's awesome. Life is good."

Even San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich was in a light-hearted mood, joking about the season debut of athletic, 6-foot-9 forward Malcolm Thomas.

"I thought he was real active," Popovich said. "He blocked (two) shots. You know we don't block shots; that's not part of our program . that's a joke."

The merriment came at the expense of adding to Milwaukee's misery.

The Bucks have lost nine straight, dropping those games by an average of 15 points.

Making matters worse for Milwaukee, starting off guard Luke Ridnour left the game after spraining his right wrist late in the first quarter. The wrist bent back after it was sandwiched between Mills and Ekpe Udoh as Ridnour attempted to roll off a screen. He still attempted a 19-foot jumper, but feverishly signaled for a sub as he clutched his wrist in pain.

"The X-rays were negative, which is a good sign," Bucks coach Larry Drew said. "Right now it looks like he's in a splint and I don't know how long he will be out." It swelled right away, as soon as he did it and that was a big concern. I guess we'll go back and I believe he'll get an MRI."

Brandon Knight scored 21 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo added 11 points and John Henson had 10 points and 11 rebounds for Milwaukee, which trailed by double digits the entire second half.

San Antonio played without starters Tony Parker and Tiago Splitter, former starter Danny Green and 3-point specialist Matt Bonner. Parker missed the game with a bruised right shin that stiffened in the second half of the Spurs' loss to the Trail Blazers.

"We were missing a lot of guys so that was a little worrying, but overall I think we did a good job," San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili said. "Everybody got to play and everybody played well. Guys made shots and it's a good feeling."

The Spurs bench scored 58 points, with only one coming from Ginobili.

Duncan played only 27 minutes, sitting out the fourth quarter as San Antonio built its lead to as many as 28 points in the second half after breaking the game open early.

The Spurs went on a 15-0 run bridging the first and second quarters, taking a 29-16 lead that essentially put the game out the Bucks' reach.

Milwaukee went scoreless for five minutes, missing six shots, committing two turnovers and an offensive foul. Henson's 20-foot jump hook with 11:18 remaining in the first half ended the drought.

Mills opened the run with the first of his four 3-pointers, sinking a 25-footer with 4 minutes left in the first quarter.

"They move the ball, they make the right play and they get the open shot," former Spurs guard Gary Neal said. "Patty was the recipient of good ball movement today and he was able to knock the shots down. You have to give credit where credit is due, that system has been in effect for a long time and it's been successful for a long time."

Even the notoriously tough Popovich was able to give his team a figurative pat on the back afterward.

"Coaches are sick puppies," Popovich said. "There's always things you can improve and do better. You look at the film, try to keep your standard and get ready for playoffs, but overall it was a good performance."

NOTES: Parker received the La Gazzetta Dello Sports European Player of the Year award before the tipoff. Parker led France to its first European Championship in the offseason. . Neal was greeted by apathy when he entered the game, receiving little reaction in his first game in San Antonio since leaving in the offseason as a free agent. . Bonner missed the game with a broken nose he sustained after taking an elbow from the Trail Blazers' Thomas Robinson in the first quarter Friday night. . Spurs analyst Sean Elliott quickly grabbed his notebook and paperwork during the first half when Duncan walked toward the scorer's table with a mischievous grin. Earlier this month, Duncan playfully tossed Elliott's things during a timeout. Duncan laughed as he stood over Elliott, failing to find anything to toss at his former teammate. . San Antonio's mascot, the Coyote, made a behind-back, three-quarter-court shot during a timeout.

Copyright 2014 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

Notebook: Spurs 110, Bucks 82

THE FACT: The Bucks have lost nine straight games and have the worst record in the NBA by 3½ games after losing by 28 points Sunday in San Antonio. They have not won yet in the new year.

THE LEAD: With Tony Parker taking the night off to rest a shin contusion, Patty Mills came off the bench for 20 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 110-82 win over the Milwaukee Bucks at AT&T Center. Parker could use the rest with Oklahoma City coming to town on Wednesday and an NBA Finals rematch later in the week at Miami.

The Bucks (7-33) have not won since Dec. 31. Brandon Knight scored 21 points and John Henson had 10 points and 11 rebounds.

QUOTABLE: "You want to do your job as early as you can. Today was one of those games you had to win pretty comfortably. Everybody got to play, and everybody played well." -- Spurs guard Manu Ginobili

THE STAT: Every player in a Spurs uniform saw action. San Antonio's bench shot 23-for-41 from the floor (56 percent) and scored more than half the team's points (58).

TURNING POINT: Milwaukee led 16-14 with 4:13 left in the first quarter on Miroslav Raduljica's close-in jumper. But Mills hit a 3-pointer on the next possession, and it started a 15-0 run to close out the quarter. Most of the run came with a Spurs rotation of Jeff Ayers, Marco Belinelli, Baynes, Ginobili and Mills. The closest the Bucks got after that was 11 points late in the first half.

QUOTABLE II: "It's the way they play. They move the ball. They make the right play, and they hit the open shot. That sytem has been in effect for a long time, and it's been successful for a long time. You know what you're going to get. It's just a matter of going out there and stopping it. A lot of teams haven't figured out how to stop it." -- Bucks guard Gary Neal, who played his first three NBA seasons in San Antonio

HOT: Mills broke out of a 6-for-18 shooting slump (1-for-7 from the 3-point line) over his past three games with a 8-for-12 performance Sunday from the floor (4-for-6 on 3-pointers).

NOT:Luke Ridnour has been playing solidly for the Bucks on offense (9-for-16 his last two games including 5-for-8 3-point shooting), but he shot 1-for-5 on Sunday before checking out with a right wrist sprain.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Knight fell short of scoring at least 25 points in three straight games, which would have been a career first. He scored 27 points Wednesday against Memphis, 26 at Houston on Saturday). He did not play in the fourth quarter Sunday.

ROOKIE WATCH:Giannis Antetokounmpo got his 16th start of the season and finished with 11 points in 30 minutes. He was the only Bucks starter to play in the fourth quarter. ... Nate Wolters had a career-high 18 points the last time the Bucks played the Spurs (Dec. 11); on Sunday he played 12 minutes and scored nine points.

NOTABLE: Caron Butler missed the game after turning up sick Sunday morning. ... Neal, who was last seen in San Antonio hitting 3-pointers by the bunches in the Spurs' appearance in the NBA Finals, played his first game for Milwaukee since Jan. 4 (1-for-8, three points in almost 18 minutes); he was reported ill Saturday in Houston but saw his playing time cut the past two weeks since arguing two weeks ago with Larry Sanders.